L. Ivanovic i dr.

Analiza protoka i volumenskog stupnja iskoristivosti trohoidne pumpe primjenom Taguči metode

ISSN 1330-3651 (Print), ISSN 1848-6339 (Online)

https://doi.org/10.17559/TV-20150429090420

ANALYSIS OF THE FLOW RATE AND THE VOLUMETRIC EFFICIENCY OF THE

TROCHOIDAL PUMP BY APPLICATION OF TAGUCHI METHOD

Lozica Ivanović, Blaža Stojanović, Jasmina Blagojević, Gordana Bogdanović, Aleksandar Marinković

Original scientific paper

Taguchi method has been used to analyse the influence of the coefficient of the trochoid radius, the number of revolutions and the working pressure on the
change in the flow rate and the volumetric efficiency of the trochoidal rotary pump with internal gearing. The coefficient of the trochoid radius, as a
geometrical parameter and the number of revolutions and the pressure, as working parameters are considered influential factors in this paper. Taguchi
robust design and orthogonal matrices have been applied to design the experiment and to determine the degree of the factors influence, as well as their
optimum values. The highest values both for the flow rate and the volumetric efficiency have been obtained for the coefficient of the trochoid radius of
1.375, the number of revolutions of 2000 min−1 and for the working pressure of 1 bar. The conformation of the experiment shows that Taguchi method can
be successfully used for selection of the optimal combination of parameters so that the maximum volumetric efficiency of the trochoid pump can be
achieved.

Keywords: ANOVA; flow rate; gerоtor; Таguchi method; trochoidal pump; volume efficiency

Analiza protoka i volumenskog stupnja iskoristivosti trohoidne pumpe primjenom Taguči metode

Izvorni znanstveni članak

Primjenom Taguči metode u radu je analiziran utjecaja koeficijenta polumjera trohoide, broja okretaja i radnog tlaka na promjenu protoka i volumenskog
stupnja iskoristivosti trohoidne rotacijske pumpe s unutarnjim ozubljenjem. Koeficijent polumjera trohoide je geometrijski parametar, a broj okretaja i tlak
su radni parametri koji predstavljaju utjecajne faktore u ovom radu. Primjenom metode Tagučijevog robusnog dizajna i ortogonalnih matrica formiran je
eksperimentalni dizajn i određen je stupanj utjecaja faktora, kao i njihove optimalne vrijednosti. Za analizirane uvjete eksperimenta, najveće vrijednosti
protoka i volimenskog stupnja iskoristivosti dobivene su za koeficijent polumjera trohoide 1.375, broj okretaja od 2000 min−1 i radni tlak od 1 bar. Potvrda
eksperimenta pokazuje svrhovitost primjene Taguči metode za izbor optimalne kombinacije parametara u odnosu na maksimalni volumenski stupanj
iskoristivosti trohoidne pumpe.

Ključne riječi: ANOVA; gerotor; protok; Taguči metoda; trohoidna pumpa; volumenski stupanj iskoristivosti

1 Introduction
Trochoidal (gerоtor) pumps belong to the group of
planetary rotary gear pumps with a trochoidal gearing
profile. In practice, trochoidal gearing profiles are used
both for internal and external gearing. Rotary pumps
mainly have internal gearing [1, 2].
The gerоtor mechanism studied in this paper consists
of two movable elements: an internal drive gear with
external gearing and an external drive gear with internal
gearing. The external gear has one more tooth than the
internal one, and the space between their profiles
comprises the pump chambers. During the operation, each
chamber periodically enters the suction and the discharge
zone, while the gear with external gearing has a role of
the discharging element [1÷3]. The fluid flow in gerоtor
pumps is uniform, and the operation is quiet due to
relatively low speed of their working elements. Because
of their numerous advantages, gerоtor pumps have found
wide application.
Functional characteristics of the pump are
significantly influenced by the gear pair parameters. The
influence of geometric parameters of the gear pair profile
and working parameters of the pump on its functional
characteristics has been studied in this paper. Taguchi
method has been used for the analysis of the change in the
flow rate and the volumetric efficiency of the gerоtor
pump.
Taguchi method is used to reduce the number of
experimental tests and thus experimental costs while
identifying the most influential factors and determining
optimal values of the studied factors [4]. These
advantages of Taguchi method have been employed to
determine the optimal values of the factors that influence
the change in the flow rate and the volumetric efficiency
of gerоtor pumps.
Kim et al. [5] developed a new methodology for the
flow rate control in trochoidal hydraulic pumps that is
based on cavitation simulation. This methodology was
developed using software packets AMESim & CATIA
V5. A mathematical model of the gerоtor pump that can
simulate both the gerоtor pump and the cycloidal reducer
was proposed by Hwang and Hsie [6, 7], while
Mohammad Reza designed the elliptical shaped intertooth
space of the gear with internal gearing of the gerоtor
pump in order to minimize wear [8]. Jung Sung-Yuen et
al. applied Taguchi method to determine the optimal
shape of the rotor and to design pump parameters [9].
In this paper, the possibilities offered by Taguchi
method have been utilised to determine the optimal values
of the trochoid radius, the number of revolutions and the
pressure that will yield as high values of the flow rate and
volumetric efficiency as possible. It has been shown that
applying this method the time needed to perform
experiments and obtain optimal values of the analysed
parameters is considerably saved, which is a significant
contribution of the paper to this field of study.
Мinitab 16 software programme package [10] has
been used for statistical processing of experimental results
of the flow rate and volumetric efficiency.
2 Taguchi method
Taguchi methods are statistical methods developed by
Dr. Genichi Taguchi to improve the quality of products
[11].

Tehnički vjesnik 24, Suppl. 2(2017), 265-270 265

Analysis of the flow rate and the volumetric efficiency of the trochoidal pump by application of Taguchi method L. Ivanovic et al.

Different conditions i.e. changes can cause various 1 n

1 
deviations in the system thus decreasing its optimal S / N = −10 ⋅ log 
n ∑ y 2  . (4)
operation. In order to avoid accumulation of such  i =1 i 
changes, it is necessary to develop robust products that
function in an optimal way even in different, variable • For type S, the third form of Taguchi function in
conditions [12]. cases when the target response value is about zero:
Finding design parameters to increase robustness is
the core of Taguchi method. A robust design is not 1 n 
directly aimed at solution of the problem; it is aimed at S / N = −10 ⋅ log  ∑ yi2  . (5)
n 
creating a system that functions in all conditions as  i =1 
closely to ideal as possible.
According to Taguchi, the selection of parameters is These S/N indicators are derived from the quadratic
achieved by experiment planning methods. He proposed loss function and are expressed in decibel scale (dB).
using common indicators together with the new quality When all the S/N indicators are calculated for each
indicators, the so-called signal/noise - S/N ratio which has experimental stage, Taguchi proposes a graphical
a very significant role in the methodology [13]. approach for data analysis.
Taguchi design is used to determine optimal
parameter values and to determine the influence of 3 Experimental part
independent variables on the studied process or product.
Taguchi method uses a special design of orthogonal In this paper, we have tried to establish the values of
arrays to investigate the broad influence of parameters the influential parameters that yield the highest values of
with a small number of experimental samples [14]. the flow rate and the volumetric efficiency. The
The goal of the quality improvement effort is to considered factors are the coefficient of the trochoid
identify factors under control that are involved in the radius, the number of revolutions and the working
production process in order to maximize the S/N ratio. pressure of the gerоtor pump. In order to perform the
Thus, the factors in the experiment are control factors. analysis using Taguchi method, three levels have been
Quality can be quantified (valued) in terms of the chosen for each factor. Values of influential factors for all
product response to the noise factors and the signal the levels are given in Tab. 1.
factors. The ideal product will only respond to the
operator's signals and will be unaffected by random noise Table 1 Levels of basic factors
factors. Therefore, the goal of the quality improvement Level
Symbol Factor
effort can be expressed as an attempt to maximize the S/N 13 2
ratio for the respective product. Coefficient of the trochoid
A 1.375 1.575 1.675
The S/N ratios proposed by Taguchi (1987) for radius
B Number of revolutions (min−1) 500 1000 2000
different forms of loss functions [15, 16] have the
C Pressure (bar) 1 5 10
following form:
• For N type, the first form of Taguchi loss function, in Our study involved testing of the pump with different
cases when an average target response value is desired: gear pairs built in (Fig. 1). Measurements were performed
for three models of gear pairs, in the laboratory of the
 y2  company PPT Hidraulika, by simulating actual operating
S / N = 10 ⋅ log  2 . (1) conditions of the pump.
S 
 

Where:
• the average value of the process response is:

n
1
y=
n
∑ yi , (2)
i =1

• the standard deviation is:

n
( yi − y )2 ,
S= ∑ n −1
(3)
i =1 Figure 1 Gerotor pump

where: yi – is the studied parameter, and n – is the The testing plan was made in accordance with the
internal standards of the company. In order to minimize
number of experiments.
the influence of the housing geometry, all the models of
• For type B, the second form of Taguchi loss function,
the pump gear pairs were tested in the same housing.
in cases when a maximum target response value is
Prior to testing, the stability of the working parameters
desired:
(the pressure, the number of revolutions and the
temperature) was checked. The stability of these

266 Technical Gazette 24, Suppl. 2(2017), 265-270

L. Ivanovic i dr. Analiza protoka i volumenskog stupnja iskoristivosti trohoidne pumpe primjenom Taguči metode

parameters was also maintained during the measurements,
which enabled all the models to be tested in
approximately same conditions [17].
Based on the measured flow rate values for different
models and different test parameters, values of the
volumetric efficiency were determined [17]. The
volumetric efficiency represents the ratio between the
measured flow rate value at the working pressure and the
measured flow rate value at the lowest pressure values at
the pump outlet.

Table 2 Orthogonal matrix L9 with experimental results and calculated S/N ratios
Q S/N for Q S/N for η
Experiment A B C η
l/min dB dB
1 1.375 500 1 6.90 0.9928 16.7770 −0.06276
2 1.375 1000 59 13.10 0.9704 22.3454 −0.26098
3 1.375 2000 10 25.70 0.9536 28.1987 −0.41268
4 1.575 500 59 6.30 0.9130 15.9868 −0.79058
5 1.575 1000 109 12.00 0.8791 21.5836 −1.11923
6 1.575 2000 19 27.10 1.0000 28.6594 0.00000
7 1.675 500 10 5.55 0.7986 14.8859 −1.95341
8 1.675 1000 1 13.40 1.0000 22.5421 0.00000
9 1.675 2000 59 26.20 0.9813 28.3660 −0.16396

Table 3 Results of the flow rate change analysis

Source DF Seq SS Adj SS Adj MS F P Pr
A 2 0.051 0.051 0.025 0.72 0.583 0.000
B 2 628.931 628.931 314.465 8913.98 0.000 99.53
C 2 2.887 2.887 1.444 40.92 0.024 0.47
Residual Error 2 0.071 0.071 0.035 0.00
Total 8 631.939

Table4 Results of the volumetric efficiency analysis

Source DF Seq SS Adj SS Adj MS F P Pr
A 2 0.003827 0.003827 0.001913 2.05 0.328 10.30
B 2 0.009053 0.009053 0.004527 4.85 0.171 24.37
C 2 0.022396 0.022396 0.011198 12.00 0.077 60.30
Residual Error 2 0.001866 0.001866 0.000933 5.03
Total 8 0.037142

3.1 Statistical analysis and discussion on the experimental Main Effects Plot for SN ratios
Data Means
results
A B
30

Experimental results for the flow rate and the 25

volumetric efficiency for different factor levels are shown
Mean of SN ratios

20
in Tab. 2. For the analysis of the obtained experimental
results, the orthogonal matrix L9 was used. Q denotes the 15
1.375 1.575 1.675 500 1000 2000
experimental flow rate results expressed in l/min, while η 30
C

denotes the volumetric efficiency results.

25
Tab. 2 also shows S/N ratio results for the flow rate
and the volumetric efficiency obtained using statistical 20

software Мinitab 16 [10]. 15

1 5 10
The АNOVA results obtained for the flow rate are Signal-to-noise: Larger is better
given in Tab. 3, while the volumetric efficiency results Figure 2 The effect of the factor based on the S/N ratio for the flow
are given in Tab. 4 [18].
Based on the percentage share for Q (Tab. 4) it can be Main Effects Plot for Means
concluded that the number of revolutions with 99.53 % Data Means

has the greatest influence, while the coefficient of the 25

A B

trochoid radius and errors has no significant influence 20

(approximately zero). The pressure with 60.30 % has the 15
greatest influence on the volumetric efficiency (Tab. 4),
Mean of Means

10
while coefficient of the trochoid radius and the number of 5
revolutions have significant influence with 10.30 % and 1.375 1.575
C
1.675 500 1000 2000

with 24.73 %, respectively. 25

Graphical representations of the influence of the 20

analysed factors A, B and C on the flow rate and the 15

volumetric efficiency are given in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5. 10

5
1 5 10

Figure 3 The effect of the factor based on the mean value for the flow

Tehnički vjesnik 24, Suppl. 2(2017), 265-270 267

Analysis of the flow rate and the volumetric efficiency of the trochoidal pump by application of Taguchi method L. Ivanovic et al.

Main Effects Plot for SN ratios The factor B, i.e. the number of revolutions, has the
Data Means
greatest effect on the increase of the flow rate, which is
A B
0.00 compliant with the above stated.
-0.25
The range of the factor influence and factor ranking
-0.50
-0.75
based on the S/N ration for the volumetric efficiency for
Mean of SN ratios

-1.00 the case when larger is better is given in Tabs. 7 and 8.

1.375 1.575 1.675 500 1000 2000
C Table 8 The range of the factor influence and factor ranking based on
0.00
the mean value for the volumetric efficiency
-0.25
-0.50
Level A B C
-0.75 1 0.9723 0.9015 0.9976
-1.00 2 0.9307 0.9498 0.9549
1 5 10
3 0.9266 0.9783 0.8771
Signal-to-noise: Larger is better Δ 0.0456 0.0768 0.1205
Figure 4 The effect of the factor based on the S/N ratio for the Rank 3 2 1
volumetric efficiency
The factor C, the pressure, has the greatest influence
Main Effects Plot for Means
Data Means on the increase of the volumetric efficiency.
A B The optimal variant for the flow and the volumetric
1.00
efficiency is A1B3C1 (A1 = 1.375, B3 = 2000 min−1, C1
0.95
= 1 bar) based on the shown diagrams and the factor
influence range when larger-is-better.
Mean of Means

0.90

1.375 1.575 1.675 500 1000 2000

3.2 Experiment confirmation
C
1.00
The equation used for confirmation of the experiment
0.95 [14, 19] is:
0.90

 1 1
1 5 10 CI = Fα :1, V2 ⋅ Ve ⋅  +  (6)
Figure 5 The effect of the factor based on the mean value of the  eff r 
n
volumetric efficiency

where: Fα :1, V2 is 18.5128 for α = 0.05 or for the

The range of the factors influence and factor ranking
based on the S/N ratio for the flow rate mean value when probability of 95 % by Fisher and for 2 degrees of
larger-is-better is shown in Tabs. 5 and 6. freedom for error; Ve represents the Adj MS error and it is
0.035 for the flow change and 0.000933 for the
Table 5 The range of the factor influence and factor ranking based on volumetric efficiency;
the S/N ratio for the flow rate
Level A B C
1 22.44 15.88 22.66
total experimental trials
neff = .
2 22.08 22.16 22.23  total degree of freedom of 
1+  
3 21.93 28.41 21.56  factors for prediction 
Δ 0.51 12.52 1.10
Rank 3 1 2 In that case neff = 1,2857; r - the number of repeats is 1 in
this case.
Table 6 The range of the factor influence and factor ranking based on
the mean value for the flow rate The confidence interval for confirmation of the
Level A B C experiment [19] is given by the equations (11) and (12).
1 15.233 6.250 15.800 The solutions of the Eq. (6) for the flow change and
2 15.133 12.833 15.200 the volumetric efficiency are given with the expressions
3 15.050 26.333 14.417 (7) and (8).
Δ 0.183 20.083 1.383
Rank 3 1 2 CI (Q ) = 1.073 (7)
Table 7 The range of the factor influence and factor ranking based on CI (η ) = 0.175 (8)
the S/N ratio for the volumetric efficiency
Level A B C In order to obtain the solution interval for the
1 −0.24547 −0.935599 −0.02092 confirmation of the experiment, the Eqs. (9) and (10) are
2 −0.63661 −0.460907 −0.40518 used for the flow and the volumetric efficiency,
3 −0.70579 −0.199221 −1.16177 respectively:
Δ 0.46032 0.749337 1.14085
Rank 3 92 1
Q p = TQ + (A1 − TQ ) +(B3 − TQ ) + (C1 − TQ ), (9)
η p = Tη + (A1 − Tη ) +(B3 − Tη ) + (C1 − Tη ). (10)

268 Technical Gazette 24, Suppl. 2(2017), 265-270

L. Ivanovic i dr. Analiza protoka i volumenskog stupnja iskoristivosti trohoidne pumpe primjenom Taguči metode
The symbols А1, B3 and C1in the equations (9) and
(10) represent the optimal variant. Their values for the
flow А1 = 15.233, B3 = 26.333, C1 = 15.800 are the
highest mean values in Tab. 6, while the values for the
volumetric efficiency А1 = 0.9723, B3 = 0.9783 and C1 =
0.9976 are the highest mean values in Tab. 8.
The parameter Т in the Eqs. (9) and (10) is defined by
the expression:
sum of recalls
T= . pump chambers. // Technics Technologies Education
total number of experiments
The value of this parameter is TQ = 15.1389 for the
flow rate, and Tη = 0.9432 for the volumetric efficiency.
The solution of the Eq. (9) is Qp = 27.0882, while the
solution of the Eq. (10) is ηp = 1.0618.
The solution interval for the flow change is given by
the Eq. (11), and it is
Q p − CI ≤ Q p ≤ Q p + CI
(11)
26.0152 ≤ Q p ≤ 28.1612 ,
while the Eq. (12) gives the solution interval for the
volumetric efficiency
η p − CI ≤ η p ≤ η p + CI
(12)
0.8868 ≤ η p ≤ 1.2368.
Since the volumetric efficiency is never 1 or higher
than 1, the relation 0.8868 ≤ ηp < 1 applies for the optimal
variant.
4 Conclusion
It has been shown that applying Taguchi method and
statistical analysis of experimental data, a small number
of experimental results can be used to identify the most
influential factors and determine their optimal
combination.
It has been noticed that the number of revolutions has
the greatest influence on the flow rate change of the
gerоtor pump, while the pressure has the greatest
influence on its volumetric efficiency.
The greatest flow rate and volumetric efficiency
values were obtained for the optimal variant of the gerоtor
pump with the coefficient of the trochoid radius of 1.375,
the number of revolutions of 2000 min−1 and the working
pressure of 1 bar.
The confirmation of the experiment for the optimal
factor values has shown that the flow change will vary in
the range from 26 l/min to 28 l/min, and that the least
value of the volumetric efficiency is 0.8868.
Acknowledgements
This paper presents the research results obtained
within the framework of the projects TR-35021 and TR-
35033 financially supported by the Ministry of Education,
Science and Technological Development of the Republic
of Serbia.
Tehnički vjesnik 24, Suppl. 2(2017), 265-270
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Analysis of the flow rate and the volumetric efficiency of the trochoidal pump by application of Taguchi method L. Ivanovic et al.

Authors’ addresses

Lozica Ivanović, PhD, associate professor

Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac
Sestre Janjić 6, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
E-mail: lozica@kg.ac.rs

Blaža Stojanović, PhD, assistant professor

Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac
Sestre Janjić 6, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
E-mail: blaza@kg.ac.rs

Jasmina Blagojević, PhD student

Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac
Sestre Janjić 6, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
E-mail: jacab@kg.ac.rs

Gordana Bogdanović, PhD, assistant professor

Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac
Sestre Janjić 6, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
E-mail: gocab@kg.ac.rs

Aleksandar Marinković, PhD, associate professor

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Belgrade
Kraljice Marije 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
E-mail: amarinkovic@mas.bg.ac.rs

270 Technical Gazette 24, Suppl. 2(2017), 265-270